Salary Cap Hinders Pre-nba Draft Dealing

That draft you hear everyone talking about is really a lot of hot air. That`s because National Basketball Association general managers are talking.

The question is will they be dealing.

``We`re still looking for ways to improve,`` said Pistons General Manager Jack McCloskey. ``But the salary cap is holding things down for us, as it is with many teams. There are only so many things you can do.``

That`s because so many teams are at or above the salary cap and the new amount, probably $700,000 to $1 million more, doesn`t become effective until August. So teams are stuck in this position:

They have to trade players who make the same or similar salaries.

It`s like the Charlotte-San Antonio deal that was talked about last week. It was supposed to be J.R. Reid and Rex Chapman for Willie Anderson. Charlotte, by the way, is offering Reid everywhere. But the Spurs can`t do that deal without getting rid of another player.

So it`s possible, if the deal comes about, that Charlotte would also get center Dwayne Schintzius.

The Spurs, first round playoff victims, aren`t sitting still. They`re also looking to unload Terry Cummings from their starting lineup and have talked with Dallas about Rolando Blackman and Rodney McCray with Anderson thrown in if there`s no Charlotte deal.

If the Mavericks do deal, it`s likely to be Blackman and not Derek Harper. The Clippers want Harper, and have talked with several teams about getting a guard, with Glenn ``Doc`` Rivers and Jay Humphries among the targets. But they`ve been frustrated.

``I hate this time of year,`` said Clippers coach Mike Schuler. ``It`s lying time. Everyone knows what we want, a veteran point guard, and I can`t get anyone to tell me the truth about anything.``

The Clippers also are interested in the Celtics Brian Shaw now that Dee Brown seems to have inherited the starting job. But the Celtics want a player, not a draft pick. They already had rejected Washington`s offer of No. 8 for the Bullets went for Michael Adams.

There supposedly had been talk of Shaw and Kevin Gamble to Charlotte for Reid and Chapman. And the Celtics are said to be readying an offer for Atlanta free agent John Battle.

- That salary cap also will hurt free agents like John Salley, who doesn`t figure to get the more than $2 million per year he is seeking. The Pistons, meanwhile, are desperate to unload James Edwards.

- And there are some players out there whom the Bulls have long coveted, namely Dallas`s McCray. The Bulls tried for him when he was with Sacramento, but failed, and are trying again with Stacey King. Also, the Bulls always have liked Seattle`s Dana Barros, and he`s available.

``Obviously, we have a problem at the guard position,`` said Seattle president Bob Whitsitt, who is trying to deal Barros, Sedale Threatt or Nate McMillan.

The Timberwolves, with the No. 7 pick, talked to Seattle about Derrick McKey, but Seattle wasn`t interested.

- And back to Blackman, the Mavericks talked to Cleveland and were asking for Larry Nance given Cleveland`s interesrt in a shooting guard, but the Cavaliers backed off. They also seem to be stuck with John ``Hot Rod`` Williams and his big contract since Miami, the most interested team, has cooled in its interest.

- But the big draft question, as often it has been recently, is what will Nellis do. The Warriors have three No. 1 picks-16, 17 and 25-and have been looking for power forwards and centers. And they had highly regarded New Mexico center Luc Longley in for a workout, meaning they might be moving up. They`re said to be offering Tyrone Hill and some of the picks to Minnesota.

There`s also a wild rumor that the Warriors are offering Chris Mullin to the Nets for the No. 2 pick.

- The Hawks had Blair Rasmussen in for a physical last week with a possible deal for the No. 15 pick in mind, but that`s cooled as salary cap rules make it more beneficial for them to wait until July 1 to renounce Moses Malone`s rights.

- The Pacers and Hawks talked about Domnique Wilkins for Reggie Miller, but the Pacers could not accommodate Wilkins without moving Chuck Person. Hawks President Stan Kasten said he`s working two deals, with Rivers and Willis most likely to go.

- Xavier McDaniel`s name keeps coming up in Phoenix and McCray is a possibility in a deal there while the Suns` have been rejecting offers for point guard Negele Knight.

- Wheaton`s Randy Pfund figures to have hit it big-for an NBA assistant. Pat Riley wants him in New York and is said to be offering $200,000. . . . The Lakers renegotiation of James Worthy`s contract puts him above Sam Perkins six-year $19 million deal. . . . Doug Moe says he`s still working to put together a group to buy the Nuggets. . . . Miami fans generally greeted the selection of Kevin Loughery as coach with criticism on local call-in shows. . . . The Lakers are looking to unload Mychal Thompson and Larry Drew and have been dangling A.C. Green. Said Lakers General Manager Jerry West about Thompson: ``Mychal has always had too big a mouth.`` Which doesn`t go with lack of production.